Record

MS 30 - James Beattie, Professor of Moral Philosophy and Logic, poet, essayist and moral philosopher: papers
- 1 - James Beattie's copy letters

Collection	GB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections
Level	Item
Ref No	MS 30/1/85
Title	[To Dr Blacklock], from Aberdeen
Date	4 October 1774
Extent	1 Item
Administrative History	Thomas Blacklock [1721-1791] Poet and writer. He was blind from smallpox at the age of 6 months, but in spite of his handicap he showed an early taste for poetry. He published his first volume of verse in 1746, and another in 1756. He became a Church of Scotland minister in 1759, but he later gave up and took pupils. He introduced himself to Beattie in 1765 by sending him a copy of his 1756 poems. For some time he was an important confidant and poetic adviser to Beattie. Beattie secured a honorary DD of Marischal College for him in 1767
Description	His bad health. Thanks Blacklock for excellent poem, which he has read often and with great pleasure. Comments on and praises it in some detail. Sorry Blacklock chose such a laborius stanza, but it is harmonious and handled well [presumably referring to The Graham. An Heroic Ballad (London 1774).] Beattie's attention lately engrossed by Priestley's publication. Beattie is disappointed by what Priestley has written of him, though he didn't expect much from it having seen what he wrote in third volume of his Institutes of Religion. Priestley is passionate in admiring himself and despising his adversaries, but his reasoning and manners of thinking makes him unfit to write a book. Beattie has resolved to answer in print. Would like Blacklock's opinion of the book. Beattie will leave Reid and Oswald to answer for themselves. Had never read Oswald's first volume till after Beattie's book which Priestley believes he has borrowed from.
Access Status	Open
Physical Description	1 leaf folded
Publication Note	Published in "The Correspondence of James Beattie - Letters 1758-1775", ed. Roger J. Robinson

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